Polyjuice and Potente Potions
by magandakoi
Summary: After a Weasley prank gone wrong and a castle induced slip through time, Hermione is trying her best to be unremarkable. But as the suddenly new male roommate of the Marauders, she's finding it difficult to find her way home while Sirius is mothering her and Remus is breathing down her neck in suspicion. She just needs to get home, get female, and survive. Hermione/Remus
1. Polyjuice and Potente Potions

Poly Juice & Potente Potions

Standard disclaimer of things I do not own.

Hermione was doing well not to panic, she thought. All that had happened, she rationalized, was that George and Lee had turned her into a boy. Temporarily. She instantly regretted assisting them this summer at their Hogsmeade shop while she prepared to attend Hogwarts for her seventh—albeit delayed—year.

After extensive work from plenty volunteers, herself included, the castle was more or less put together. In reward and perhaps preparation for the year to come, Hermione was staying there for the summer. In addition to the continuous restoration-some unused rooms and hallways still needed some tender love and care—and multitude of private lessons she was taking with the staff, Minerva had allowed her to work at the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Although Hermione worked at the joke shop, she mostly worked on protective charms for their Auror Protection Gear—after all, Ron and Harry were both working hard in training and there were still plenty of Death Eaters in hiding.

So it came as rather a surprise—or perhaps no surprise at all, really—when she found herself unknowingly testing a potion. A potion apparently based on Polyjuice and some of the other potions Hermione had in her book, _Moste Potente Potions_. She had instantly regretted ever letting them use her books. While they were better researchers than their OWL scores indicated, their experimentation that brought them profit came with a price.

Currently that price was her gender. She stared at herself in the mirror the next day when she woke up in her private quarters. She stared at herself and promptly screamed, patting her body down and finding certain things lacking and certain things certainly gained.

Furious, she promptly dressed in the loosest clothes she had—which happened to be a George Weasley knitted jumper and sweatpants she had borrowed after a particularly stinky prank. She was still rather thin for a guy but of average height. Compared to the taller, Quidditch beater George Weasley, though, she was still relatively swimming in his clothes. She noted with dim realization that she looked more attractive as a guy. Feeling a bit down she turned to rage instead, thinking of the prank. With a practiced wand she disillusioned herself and left the room, intent on some sort of immediate vengeance before she dished out her entire revenge.

Instead, however, the castle decided to play a rousing game of chutes and ladders—meaning that some staircases turned into slides beneath her feet and some stairs remained intact. Frustration aside, she generally enjoyed the castle's playful manner which had arisen during the restoration. Perhaps the castle could feel the earnest work of the volunteers or maybe it was the trauma and subsequent healing, but the castle was more sentient than it had shown before. Finally the game ended when Hermione ended up on who-knows-what floor who-knows-where in the castle as the ladders all turned away.

"Guess I'm going through this door, then." Hermione muttered with a faux ruefulness. Usually, the castle brought her to fun, useful, or interesting locations. Hermione opened the door to see a hallway. It looked to go on for quite some time but Hermione had no real plans—aside from punishing some jokers—so she walked through the threshold, mildly concerned when the door disappeared behind her. She proceeded on with no choice. She walked for quite some time before she noticed that the walls were closing in. Then they began to close in dramatically as she progressed and she moved to her knees to continue forward. Concern growing, her heart beat increased as she felt herself sweating.

She calmed a little when she spotted a door. It was pathetically small and she wondered if it was for the Hogwarts elves. She shimmed her masculine body through the door noticing it would certainly have been easier in her female form. The room she entered looked like a planetarium. Stars gleamed on the dark roof lighting the room and she had no doubt that if the sun was not shining these particular stars could be seen in the sky. There was an outline of a sun nearly at the noon position and Hermione figured it was accurate to the time.

Moving closer to the middle, Hermione stumbled down a single stair while she was looking at the stars on the ceiling. Turning her focus to the reason for the sudden step she found a circular rock slab carved out in the middle of the room like a table. Closer inspection found stone tablets in a circle. There were various runes that Hermione remembered from a particularly old calendar, each on a ring of stone. The rings encircled each other with handles at specific points on each ring. Hermione figured it to be an Orrery. Excited at the prospect, she found the rune for year in the largest circle. Grabbing the handle, she walked around the platform slowly. The circles were heavy but when she looked up the stars moved as she did. Admiring them, she finally stopped. Giving a sound of delight at the discovery she looked back at the Orrery to see the runes she did not recognize in the center of the tablet glowing. When the glow faded Hermione tried to move the year circle back where she found it. When it wouldn't budge she gave up in frustration.

"Fine! Stay there!" She exclaimed realizing that she was still, in fact, a guy when the masculine voice hit her ears. Resolving to find her way back here again, Hermione began searching for an exit. Finding a single stone threshold with a door, hidden in the dark of the room, Hermione opened it. She found herself peering at a room. A room she had never seen. Although the door knob was firmly in her grasp, it pulled back out of her hand and slammed the door shut behind her. She felt a rush of air hit her before she felt herself promptly knocked forward where she fell into a heap on the wood floor. Turning around to glare at whatever force that had pushed her, her eyes widen in surprise when she saw herself looking at the same door she had come through—in a painting!

Hermione brought her hand up to the painting but it was solid to her touch. She froze when she heard a clearing of the throat. She turned around and her eyes widened in surprise when she saw the familiar yet assuredly deceased face of Albus Dumbledore. She jumped in surprise, slamming her back against the definitely solid paining behind her.

"Professor Dumbledore." She murmured her voice still low and decidedly male. Dumbledore looked a bit surprised but also very amused, his eyes twinkling in his familiar manner.

"I admit I'm not as familiar with you as you seem to be with me. If I could wager, perhaps your name starts with a G?" Hermione gaped at him before looking down at her jumper. A 'G' for George glared back at her.

"N-No. My name is…well…I'm not actually like this…I'm" Hermione took a breath and composed herself. "Am I dead, sir?" She remembered how Harry said he saw Dumbledore when he had died. She was surprised when this Dumbledore gave a light chuckle.

"I think you are very much alive, my dear boy." Dumbledore told her gently. Looking down at herself in her masculine form again she repressed the urge to kill George and Lee and instead focused on this seemingly impossible and improbable circumstance. It also worked well to distract the tears that welled at seeing such a profound wizard alive again.

"Where am I?" She asked, gathering her bearings. It was definitely possible she was still in some magical room of Hogwarts; if anything, repairing the centuries-old building taught her that NO ONE would ever know its secrets.

"You are in the private suite of the Headmaster's room in Hogwarts." Hermione closed her eyes. So she was in Hogwarts, which was good.

"You are the Headmaster?" Hermione asked, her voice shaking. His answer would imply a lot of things. As if hearing her struggle he gave a little more description.

"I have been headmaster here since 1956." His gaze took on a serious note and Hermione knew he was appraising her. She turned her eyes to look at the floor. She knew those untrained in Occlumency often had thoughts flying about their minds that were easily picked up by a seasoned Legilimens. Chances were that her thoughts were fairly under wraps but she wasn't about to take chances. "How did you get here?" He asked his voice still gentle.

"I fell through the painting." Hermione mumbled, knowing he was asking a much different question. He seemed amused with her answer though and responded good-naturedly.

"I saw that rather sudden and unexpected departure." Hermione blushed.

"What year is it sir? I'm very much certain I don't belong here." Hermione admitted. She snuck a glance at Dumbledore and he had turned to look rather serious.

"It is 1976." Hermione nodded. Twenty years or so. Okay. Twenty years and stuck in a male's body. Okay. She realized she was still nodding to herself.

"I'm from the future." Hermione found herself blurting out. She would not have noticed if she hadn't looked closely, but Dumbledore had given her a sharp eye. Realizing he looked like he uncovered a secret weapon against Voldemort—and she certainly was not going to mess with time, thank you—she clamped her mouth shut. She was not going to give him information; she needed to get home.

"How far are you from your time? Was I your headmaster then?" He seemed surprisingly eager to gleam information from her as he desperately looked into her eyes. She kept her thoughts locked tight, knowing she would probably feel at least the beginning of his intrusion into her mind.

"I don't think I should tell you that, sir. Awful things happen to wizards who mess with time." Hermione saw disappointment cross through his eyes before he nodded. "I can tell you that I was about to start my seventh year at Hogwarts as a Gryffindor. It was August 28th when I left today." Hermione frowned at the awkwardness of the statement. "I was led by the castle to a room that looked like a planetarium. There was something like an Orrery in it. I moved a circular tablet with a rune for year and I suppose that is what caused me to go back in time. It would not, however, move back to where it started when I tried to move it. I gave up and found a door that lead to this painting."

"How peculiar," Dumbledore remarked, stroking his long beard. "While I've never seen that room and cannot comment, I must say I didn't know the castle was quite that sentient." Dumbledore eyed her again.

"It was recently renovated and has shown to be more sentient than it has in previous years." Hermione admitted.

"Hmm… yes well, perhaps if we can find this room, we may be provided a few more answers on how to send you back. Although I confess, time travel hardly ever goes forward. Your presence here may already have changed things too much for you to return there." Hermione looked up at Dumbledore. With hindsight, Hermione was able to see his manipulations more clearly, yet his statement also had an undeniable truth to it. She had already done extensive research on time travel and going to the future was always met with articles of improbability and impossibility. She sighed.

"I understand." She said quietly.

"Perhaps you might accompany me to lunch? It is nearly noon. The students will be arriving in a few days." He gave her a hand and Hermione hesitantly let him help her up. "It is also August 28th today." He let go of her hand and lead her to the Great Hall. "I must wonder what I should call you." He peered over his glasses to look at her. "Mister…" He began and Hermione realized with a start she was STILL a guy. How long was this potion going to last?

"Wright, is fine, Professor" Hermione gave a relatively common last name. "Sebastian Wright" She followed with a small smile to herself. A little good-natured Shakespeare humor would remind her of her real self while consequently playing homage to the cross-dressing main character. Hermione felt strangely related to Olivia at the moment. She glanced down at the masculine body attached to her. A sudden terrifying thought occurred—what about going to the bathroom?!

"Mister Wright, then. I imagine that is not your real name." Hermione blushed. "No, Sir. It is not. But I really must insist that I cause as minimal a presence as possible."

"Have you time travelled before, Mr. Wright?"

"My third year I was permitted to use a time turner to make all my classes. The faculty was particularly adamant about the responsibility of its use." He nodded in response and they entered the Great Hall. All the teachers were apparently back and it was certainly amusing to see a slightly younger Minerva and Slughorn. All the teachers were sitting at a circular table, lunch already on the table. Hermione felt her stomach grumble.

"Albus, I asked you to bring me the paperwork, not a student." Minerva adjusted her glasses and peered at Hermione. "I don't recognize this one." Albus gave a light chuckle.

"My dear Minerva, would you believe I was back in my room getting the paperwork when a student fell from the one portrait that cannot be removed off the wall? Imagine my surprise to see the young Mister Wright was nearly as lost at the concept as I was!" Hermione found her cheeks getting warm again.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all" Hermione mumbled. Albus continued on.

"You see, Mr. Sebastian Wright is in his seventh year but appears to be a tad lost. I offered him a place at Hogwarts for his final year." Hermione turned sharply to look at the headmaster, a move Minerva definitely caught.

"Mr. Wright seems surprised at the notion. Where would you put the lad?" Minerva had a scowl on her face and Hermione was loath to think she was the cause of her disdain.

"Why in Gryffindor of course!" Dumbledore exclaimed jovially. "He was sorted there, you know." Dumbledore gave Hermione a knowing look. It _seemed_ Dumbledore was being fairly accommodating but he was absolutely changing things. Then again, maybe she could be so ordinary that Sirius, Remus, or any of the staff never mentioned her. She could do that. In fact, she was already a he so…maybe it wasn't that bad?

"Is this true, Mr. Wright?" Minerva gave Hermione a no-nonsense stare that pierced through any deception.

"I was indeed sorted into Gryffindor." Hermione mumbled. Minerva sighed.

"Then welcome to my house, Mr. Wright. I will be your Head of House. You will come to me if you have any problems. Did Dumbledore inform you of the house system and house points?" Minerva turned a critical eye on Dumbledore but he had moved to sit down and offered Hermione a seat as well.

"I know about them both, yes" Hermione responded.

"Good. We shall set everything in order after lunch. Please feel free to eat." Minerva gestured to the food before them both as Hermione took a seat. Dumbledore seemed jolly beside her.

* * *

><p>When Minerva was finished showing Hermione around—a castle she already knew—she showed her to her dorm. It was empty in anticipation of the students but it had five similar four-poster beds. Hermione chose the one closest to the wall and realized she had exactly nothing to wear and nothing she owned. Knowing exactly what room she required, she headed out to the seventh floor.<p>

The Room of Requirements didn't look different from the time they sought the Horcrux. There were piles and piles of furniture and broken brooms. It took until dinner, but Hermione had started sorting the piles closest to the door. She had taken her wand with her when she had left to find George and Lee. Though she always took her wand with her, it did not stop the shudder at the idea of having no wand here in this time.

When she emerged from the room she had acquired paper, quills, bottles, a few books, and some questionable looking clothing. She had even found a shoulder bag that she had every intention of charming like her beaded bag. After dropping her stuff off at her dorm, she head to the Great Hall. The teachers were already assembled and the food was out when Hermione grabbed an open seat. Dumbledore greeted her.

"Mr. Wright! How have you been spending your afternoon?" He spoke pleasantly but Hermione was unfortunately tainted by her future revelations of the man; everything he said seemed to have more a purpose than she previously recognized. He was still a great man, but a man nonetheless.

"I've been wandering the castle." Dumbledore gave her a speculative look.

"Have you found anything interesting?" He inquired.

"I've found this castle is full of many interesting things." Hermione replied, growing tired of their doublespeak. "I must confess, professor, I was not prepared when I ended up here." Hermione looked down at her plate—it was still empty. She started mindlessly placing food on it, her appetite not exactly present.

"Seldom are we prepared for a journey that fate allows us to take." Hermione looked up at Dumbledore, the twinkle in his eye. He continued: "I think we will be able to lend you some books for class. There are some cauldrons as well. We will have to get you a uniform. The rest of the students will be here shortly but I think I can personally manage to take you to Hogsmeade." Hermione nodded.

"I won't need much. I am still hoping to be able to return home." Dumbledore gave Hermione a look of pity. It was both maddening and depressing. He didn't think that she could get home but Hermione hadn't read _all _the books at the library and she had yet to find and research that room as well.

"I will help you as much as I can, Mr. Wright. But I hope you will take your time here seriously." Hermione nodded and turned to her meal. The other teachers had not seemed to notice much of their conversation but they did attempt to bring Hermione into theirs when Hermione and Dumbledore's conversation finished. It was no surprise when Slughorn began talking to her, inquiring about her background. Hermione kept the conversation sparse, dull, and uninteresting. She downplayed her intelligence. She did not have to be the best here, especially if she was only a temporary guest. Slughorn took little notice in her and Hermione felt a bit of relief. While Slughorn wasn't the most difficult to deceive it was one successful attempt at being ordinary and dull. Surely she could do the same with others? Just catch nobody's interest. Don't be mysterious and don't bring attention to yourself. Right.

* * *

><p>There was something seriously off with the new kid. For starters, he smelt. It was near the full moon when Remus first noticed, only a few weeks after term had started. McGonagall had introduced him as their new roommate and very pointedly explained how a good head boy would assist as much as possible with the new student's transition. So they invited him to sit with the Marauders.<p>

So the new kid had come over to sit with them at breakfast, squeezing between Remus and Peter and of course Remus noticed it. Sitting so close, Remus got a particularly strong wiff. His eyes opened in realization; the new kid smelt particularly feminine—not like a perfume or lotion or shampoo—but a distinctly female scent. Remus didn't really think much of it-maybe he had a girlfriend or something-but the new kid was kind of strange and quiet. He had transferred for their last year and he was neither as charismatic nor as good looking as Sirius to get girls two weeks after meeting them.

'Then again,' Remus thought watching a Hufflepuff witch come over. She handed notes back to the new kid thanking him with a blushing, smiling face. Yet then again, _again_, the new kid didn't even seem to notice the girl's attraction. He merely smiled gently and told her it was no problem. Maybe he had only one particular girl?

Remus tried to ignore the mystery but it seemed to keep appearing in his face or rather his nose. The new kid's bed was added next to his, the room miraculously expanding to accommodate the addition. He slept with the curtains drawn up, warded, and locked against intrusion. Every. Single. Night. James had laughed when they found out and called him paranoid but the new kid laughed it off saying he knew about their reputation as Marauders and was keen to prevent their version of any 'welcoming' pranks.

So without fail, the new kid would lock his curtains. And without fail, when they opened in the morning, Remus would take a deep breath only to find the lingering female scent had wafted over. It didn't smell bad per se; in fact it was quite appealing. It was just the mystery. He mentioned it to Sirius one day when he was opining whether a girl was sneaking in at night to visit the new kid. Sirius being Sirius had gone for a very confrontational and upfront approach. Shouting across the bedroom one day, Sirius asked the new kid if he was smuggling a bird in while they weren't looking.

The new kid looked comically innocent when he asked why he would bring a bird into the bedroom. They had an owlery for that. They all laughed and Sirius gave a pointed look to Remus before clarifying he meant a girl.

The new kid turned red before scowling. "If there was a girl in here wouldn't you notice?" James, Peter, and Sirius laughed again when the new kid mumbled something like "Me? Pull something over the Marauders. Ha." Remus's eyes narrowed. There was something in the way he said it that made him suspicious. Remus took a breath and tried to relax. Remus was probably already biased based on his rapidly compounding conjecture.

So he stayed up a few nights—all night. And saw nothing. No one entered or exited and the curtains only moved when the sun rose and the new kid pulled them back. Remus was once again hit with an influx of the fairly appealing scent. It was always stronger in the morning. He had noticed it tended to fade near night.

He also noticed the new kid never showered around them. He always woke up early with the sun and would head off towards the shower. Or he would wait until it was late at night and would sneak off after everyone else had already finished bathing. One time Remus had come back early from dinner and had decided to shower after a food fight where he was an innocent bystander. The other three were still cleaning it up as punishment and the new kid had not been there for dinner.

He heard the showerheads running when he walked into the bathroom. Moving to where the communal showers were, Remus placed his towel on a rack near a showerhead. He spotted the new kid at the furthest shower head in the corner, one hand against the wall as he let the water pour down his bent head. He jumped when Remus mumbled a greeting. The new kid had also moved to cover his chest reflexively, eyes opened in surprise as he stared at Remus and mumbled a "hey." Remus rolled his eyes at such an intense reaction but stopped when he noticed what he was covering. A deep scar marred his body from his collarbone down. Remus realized why he never saw the new kid without a shirt and probably why he never showered around them. Properly cowed, he turned to his own showerhead. The new kid finished quickly and left.

From then on, Remus felt a set of complicated feelings towards the kid. Particularly that he was a mystery, which annoyed him. He obviously had something traumatic happen to him to leave that scar. Remus could relate to the scars but the new kid shouldn't have to be embarrassed around the Marauders; even Remus walked around shirtless and he was covered in far more scars, he thought petulantly. It irked him especially because for some reason, he could not let these mysteries go. Somehow, Remus found himself often following the new kid.

It was right before Christmas break when Sirius called him out on his obsession.

"What's the deal, Moony?" Sirius asked one day before Remus could go out and find the new kid. For some reason the new kid was becoming increasingly difficult to follow in the halls—disappearing around corners and dead-ends.

"What do you mean, Padfoot?" Remus asked surprised. He pulled his hand away from the door knob and took a few steps closer to Sirius, giving him his attention.

"You're stalking the new kid! You're freaking him out!" Remus felt a little shock at the revelation along with indignation.

"I'm not stalking! I just happen to go where he goes!" Remus cringed a little at his wording. "I mean he's usually at the library anyways and you never commented on me going there before."

Sirius sighed before giving Remus an appraising look. He was unusually serious, well he was usually Sirius—but not a serious Sirius. THAT was seriously a disturbing prospect. "Mate, you watch him in class. You go to the library where he happens to be and don't even talk much with him. You just sneak glances at him all the time. Do you fancy him?" Remus scoffed "Because you know we don't care about that—right? If you fancy him that's fine" Sirius added quickly and reassuringly. Remus scoffed again.

"Padfoot, I'm a bird-only kind of wolf. The new kid is just a little suspicious and—wait! How did you know what I'm doing at the library?" Remus turned an accusing eye to Sirius. Was Sirius watching him watch the new kid? "Do _you_ like the new kid?" Remus felt a little lump in his gut. Sirius did not wither at Remus's sharp look.

"He came to me asking if he did something wrong. He seems to think you don't like him. Which from the way you're behaving, I tend to agree." Sirius turned a surprisingly stern face at Remus and Remus felt himself deflate a little.

"The new kid's fine…I don't hate him or anything…" Remus mumbled looking down at his feet. Sirius let out a noise of frustration.

"He's hardly new now, Remus. It's been a few months and you still never call him his name. You're cordial but surprisingly distant for being the nice one of the Marauders." Remus stiffened at the accusation.

"He's the one who's distant! What do we know about him! He just transferred here for the last year and he never talks about himself!" Remus threw out angrily. Sirius jumped at the new kid's defense.

"We've had six years together being Marauders, Moony. That's an awfully big wall to break down especially when one of us seems to dislike him. It's no wonder he's always at the library or wandering off by himself!"

"You seem awfully concerned about him! Why don't _you _go be his friend if you fancy him so much!" The air stilled around them. Sirius had hunched over a little while nearly screaming at Remus and his hands were clenched in fists at his side. He sighed before the tension flew out of him and he stood up a little straighter. Remus relaxed a little in response but was still taut as he monitored Sirius's reaction, wary.

"He reminds me a lot of Reg." Sirius spoke softly and fondly. Remus relaxed a little more in surprise of the confession. "He's quiet and studious and he goes around by himself. He looks confident enough but you can see he doesn't like to be lonely. He looks lost and out of sorts around all of us but determined for some reason." Sirius paused. "He won't let me in completely and he looks at you sometimes with some sort of longing. I thought you might get along a little better with him—talk about books and class, yeah?" Remus sighed. Maybe he was being a git.

"I'm sorry, Padfoot. I don't know why I've been obsessed with finding out about him. It's just this whole scent thing and it leaves me agitated. I'll try and hamper it down." Remus looked up at Sirius who gave a nod. Suddenly his demeanor brightened.

"Right, let's get to dinner! I demanded he be there, so best go making changes now!" Sirius patted Remus on the shoulder before steering him down the stairs.

The Great Hall was already decorated with Yule decorations even though they still had exams all next week before break. Remus and Sirius saw the object of their interest in an animated conversation with James, Peter by their side.

"I don't understand how she's so welcoming to you! She disdains all of us!" James exclaimed in frustration. He was met with an amused smile.

"James, perhaps calling her Lily and treating her with respect," Peter was mouthing the word respect in confusion as the voice of reason continued "may assist you in your cause. I know you like her but she will hardly like you back when you embarrass her in front of the entire school."

"How is it disrespect? How is it embarrassing?! I'm professing my love!" Another amused smiled.

"James, your technique is perfect." James seemed mollified.

"Thank you!"

"…If you were asking out Sirius!" Peter laughed outright, echoed with amused chuckles.

"Oi!" Sirius and James interjected. Sirius and Remus took their seats at the table.

"What's this about Prongs asking me out?" Sirius gave James a once over look. "He's not my type." He determined.

"Oi!" James exclaimed before falling into a pout. "Apparently I'm nobody's type." James sulked.

Remus watched as the new kid placed a hand on James's, sincerity clear on his face. The motion was a little strange for guys to do and Remus pushed that thought away as he tried to honor his talk with Sirius.

"James, you're great. I think that you and Lily would be great but you're trying too hard. She doesn't like flashy. Give her flowers in private—that don't grow eyes and mouths and start singing" Stopping his rebuttal before it left his open mouth. "You're funny and she laughs on occasion but she hates when you disrupt class because doing well in class means something to her. Show her you're smart and show her you're funny—without your sometimes vicious humor towards Slytherins—and show her you're sincere. That's what most girls want, in any case." James still looked a little sulky but he was at least contemplating the words.

The new kid turned back to the book Remus hadn't previously noticed. He had marked it with a finger and was opening it when Remus felt a sharp elbow in his rib. He looked at Sirius who gave him a pointed look, gesturing with his eyes and eyebrows at the book in the new kids lap. Remus gave a cough but the new kid didn't look up.

"Ahem. Uh…wha-what book are you reading there," Remus paused and felt another elbow, "huh, uh…Sebastian." Sebastian looked up in surprise at the direct question and his name. He caught Remus's eyes and red covered his cheeks. Whether it was because he was flustered or embarrassed, Remus didn't know.

Sebastian promptly turned his eyes down before mumbling. "It's just some extra reading for astronomy." Remus gave a hesitant smile but the new ki-but Sebastian was looking down at his book and did not notice.

After that Friday dinner when Remus had called Sebastian by his first name, he was not seen for the entire weekend. His bed lay undisturbed and the curtains were wide open. Concerned, Sirius had asked Professor McGonagall who in turn asked Professor Dumbledore. Professor Dumbledore had smiled gently at Sirius before saying something about Sebastian having difficulties with his current life changes. All the Marauders were with Sirius when he asked and Remus felt something like shame and regret pitting in his stomach. Even though he had tried to be friendly only recently—was his standoffish and blatantly distrusting behavior the cause? Who was he—a werewolf, in fact—to even declares someone else a suspicious or untrustworthy character?

Dumbledore told them Sebastian would probably be back for classes and that they shouldn't worry. Yet the Marauders did worry because Dumbledore had not informed them where he was. They assumed that he was still in the castle but without their map, they would not be able to confirm it. The idea to steal back the map from Filch's office arose again but before they got anywhere in planning, the full moon rose and they were gallivanting around the forest.

While Remus slept in the hospital wing the Sunday morning after the moon, he reflected on the group's continued disappearances around the full moon. More often than not, they left before Sebastian went to bed, citing that they were escorting Remus to see his sick family. The excuses were flimsy and Remus thought Sebastian must have been curious, but he never asked or batted an eye at the circumstances. He never even commented on how while Remus had supposedly left to see his sick relative, the other Marauders were undoubtedly sleeping through lunch every day after the full moon. Remus could not help but think "how curious." Before his body demanded more sleep.

* * *

><p>Hermione was fairly proud of how she had reacted to the series of unfortunate events that continued to hound her. She became a man. She became a time traveler. She became a man who every night at midnight turned back into her true gender before changing back to male when the sun rose. She hated George and Lee even more for making a potion that gave her more or less six hours in her true gender—most of which while she was sleeping. It had been nearly three months and she was <em>still<em> affected. She handled all these things with grace. She handled being the roommate to her best friend's father and his godfather, her professor, and a traitor. She was cordial but distant from them all. She even was averaging only slightly above average in her classes! It was harder to sabotage her potions to only get an EE than it was to make the potion perfect. Yet still, she handled it with grace.

She had started off with a plan and she had been living up to it fantastically. She was hesitant to trust Dumbledore to try and send her home. He had bought her new, fancy school robes—against her wishes—and she understood him to prefer to lead with sugar than the stick; he wanted her information of the future. She should've just lied and told him she was from so far in the future she only knew the general outcome. No, instead she went through every time travel and astronomy book she could.

She found the room the night before the students arrived. Everything was the same except the door did not disappear when she proceeded forward. She opened it and it lead back to where she started. So she continued. She entered the room, studied the runes, noticed that none of the handles would move at all and the stone threshold with the door to the painting refused to budge. So she went back through the tiny door and questionable hallway and left where she had started.

Dumbledore had lent her books about time travel, but they all theorized that once the disturbance in time occurred, the path was redirected and there was no return. It also had fairly biased opinions that "Bad things happened to those who mess with time" was really about wizards who tried to manipulate time into giving them everything they could ever want. Technically, using her information to defeat Voldemort was certainly manipulation for her benefit, but she was sure he didn't mean it like that.

She even split time researching with organizing the Room of Requirements. Performing the extension charm on her book bag and then other similar charms on closets and dressers in the room, she _accio_'d a plethora of objects and placed them in a closet or dresser or box. Then she labeled the box and wrote down the object. The _accio_ was not perfect and did not cause every object to react, but it certainly sped the process up a bit. Although it was rather dangerous when she summoned keys and had to dodge the deluge of lost keys. They were all promptly thrown into a drawer labeled 'keys'.

She paid special attention to books that were hidden there. Many of them were dark and she perused even those for an answer. Books about Hogwarts, the founders, astronomy, and Orrery's all yielded less than impressive results. Yet she kept on with her mission, dedicated to her cause.

Even when Remus took an interest in her, Hermione's maintained her cover. She made no comment when they left on the full moon and she always locked her curtains at night when she would turn into a girl. She nearly had a heart attack when they asked if she was bringing a girl to the room. She laughed it off but checked her wards on the curtains five times before finally falling into a fitful sleep. She had nearly every class with Remus, and though he never talked much to her—which was fine because she was trying to be distant, too—he for some reason decided to stalk Hermione. So she lost him in the halls.

Hermione knew the castle better than the Marauders. She knew the passages they did not and lost Remus in them daily. But she needed the library and he would always catch up to her there. Then he would sit at the long table she used. He would sit several seats away and not talk to her. He would pretend to study, but she always felt his eyes glancing up to watch her.

Eventually, she asked Sirius what was up and then Sirius took particular interest in talking to her. She was surprised at how sweet he was when he talked to her when she was Sebastian. She expected James to be a little more insistent as Head boy to befriend her, but it ended up being Sirius who asked her how her day was, how her classes were, if any one was giving her trouble, and what she planned to do out of Hogwarts. He asked her a few background questions but Hermione was always very curt. She was a half-blood whose muggle father died and whose witch mother taught her until just before seventh year when she had died of sickness. Funny how a parent's death seemed to get people to stop asking for details—small mercies for that. Yet he was genuinely caring and she knew he had talked to Remus on her behalf the day Remus finally called her by her male persona's name.

And then everything went pear shaped. She really should have been more prepared for the inevitability given her previous experience and knowledge as well as Dumbledore's own experience and knowledge. Yet the day she finished translating the runes in the Orrery room and the day she finished all her time travel and astronomy books and the day Dumbledore told her all his resources were exhausted—she finally broke.

That Friday night after her meeting with Dumbledore, she left the meeting numb. She heard Dumbledore's "I'm sorry, Mr. Wright" but did not process it. Although later she would feel rage because it meant he was one step closer to her knowledge. Instead, she walked to the Room of Requirements and demanded a room with plates and cups and glass. Then she walked insides and began destroying everything with _reductos_ and _sectumsempra_ and anything else that so fit her destructive fancy. She was cut a little from the sharp edges of a few particularly fierce _reductos_ but she was healed soon enough.

So she left and returned back for a room to hide things. In a corner where she had placed a particularly comfy—though worn—couch next to the bookshelves with the books she had found so far, Hermione collapsed and started grieving. She stayed there all weekend. She would cry for a few hours, feel that she had no more tears and then sort as if it was her purpose. Then she would cry again and ignore her stomach rumbling and fall asleep on the couch. It was late that Sunday when she had missed dinner while she was sorting, that she ran into the Horcrux. It infected her immediately in her weakened state. It told her she was alone again and alternated between telling her Ron and Harry were better off without her and telling her there would be no one there to save them in the future. She barely had the ability to throw it into a puzzle box she had previously found nearby. In the silence she found purpose.

She was weak from the crying, fitful sleeping, and three days of drinking only the stale water of _Aguamenti._ Lily nearly had a heart attack when she found Hermione dragging herself back to the tower. She insistently took her to the hospital wing where Madame Pomfrey immediately bustled towards her. She thanked Lily as she reprimanded Hermione. After a few potions and some Honeyduke's chocolate, Madame Pomfrey was pushing her to go to sleep. The bed next to her had their curtains drawn and Hermione did the same. The draught Madame Pomfrey gave her was making her drowsy and she began to fall asleep, remembering the effects of her predicament only as a last thought before she was completely under.

* * *

><p>The problem with sleeping the day after the full moon was that although his body was wrecked and exhausted, his mind became awake and continued on a different sleep cycle. So Remus woke up at one or two in the morning to the dimly lit hospital wing. He groaned before opening his curtain to reach for the glass of water beside his bed. Drinking slowly, he realized there was someone next to him. Remus winced as he sat the glass down and twinged a newly healing scratch. Squinting in the light, Remus shifted closer to the opening of his neighbor's curtains and froze when he caught a scent.<p>

It was a scent he had been trying to catch for a while. Eyes widening in shock he hastily moved to peer inside the curtain. Asleep on the hospital bed was a girl with frizzy hair and a rather small stature. He could see the school robes peeking out from underneath the cover and his eyes went directly to the Gryffindor tie. Impossible. As prefect he knew a lot of the Gryffindors, especially ones that were near his age and she was definitely near it. He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes. He relished the scent; it was even more lovely from its source. He opened his eyes when he realized this was heaviest the scent had ever been around him. Now it was etched further into his memory. He looked at her face. She looked peaceful while asleep but also worn out. There were still bags under her eyes and she looked fairly pale. Her features looked oddly familiar. He could not tell the exact shade of brown her hair was but knew that he would recognize the frizz and curls anywhere if he saw them. But he had never seen them. He moved to sit back on his bed, curtains open, still staring at the mystery witch before him. He resolved to wait until she woke up to begin asking her questions. Unfortunately, exhaustion crept up on him and he awoke in the hospital wing to the sun—alone.

* * *

><p>Hermione woke with the sun and panicked when she spotted Remus asleep through the opening of her curtains. She got out of bed quickly and quietly, walking towards Madame Pomfrey's office to make sure she was not exposed. From the context and reactions, it appeared she had not disturbed Hermione while she slept. Hermione exhaled graciously before asking to be discharged. A wave of the wand and a stern scolding for letting herself skip so many meals and Madame Pomfrey sent her off to breakfast.<p>

Though she had slept nearly 12 hours Hermione was still exhausted. She walked into the Great Hall and plopped down at the table. The boys were not there but they usually weren't there this early anyway. Only a few Ravenclaw, Hufflepuffs, and Slytherin were there at the early hour and Hermione was seated by herself. Lily came through the door a short while later while Hermione was dumbly eating some toast. Her appetite wasn't quite awake but she was done trying to starve herself. Lily came over and sat across from Hermione.

"You alright now, Sebastian?" Lily inquired sincerely. Hermione looked at her, blinking the sleep away slowly.

"I'm a little tired, but I'm relatively fine. Thank you for pushing me to see Madame Pomfrey." Hermione responded. Lily gave a small smile.

"Was there anything particularly wrong? You looked like you were a little more concerned than usual for just mid-term exams." Hermione gave a small sigh and finished chewing the last of her toast. She still had yet to decide how she was going to use her information for the better. Instead, she just gave a pained smile.

"It has only just hit that I will be spending the Christmas alone." Hermione realized it was true and felt a deep pang inside her. She had been looking forward to seeing Ron and Harry for Christmas. She was looking forward to the burrow and more Weasley jumpers. Lily looked at her sympathetic.

"I suppose you'll be staying at Hogwarts for Yule break, then?" Lily asked. Hermione nodded.

"I suppose, I will." Lily brightened a little.

"Well, I've heard that Dumbledore makes all Yule celebrations exceptional! I've heard that even the teachers relax over break." Lily whispered conspiratorially. Hermione gave a small smile. Hogwarts Yule was fine for this year but what of the year after that and after that? Hermione ended up staying with Lily as Lily ate. They talked about class and what they theorized was on the test. Lily looked surprised when Hermione spoke of the exam material but Hermione saw no point in playing dumb. If she was here to stay, she might as well do better in class. No matter if the material was easy enough to memorize while evading Death Eaters and hunting Horcruxes. Hermione shook her head. Now she was just being conceited.


	2. First Goal: Gender

Remus was angry at himself for falling asleep again. When he woke up, the girl was gone. He asked Madame Pomfrey about the girl next to him but she merely scowled at him.

"There was no girl next to you, Mr. Lupin. Even if there was, it'd be none of your business. Now drink this pepper up and head off to breakfast." Remus resisted rolling his eyes as he downed the potion and stood up. As he headed to the door, Madame Pomfrey's voice stopped him.

"And Mr. Lupin," Remus turned around to give his attention to the healer. She was looking up from the paperwork she had been writing on. "Make sure you keep an eye on Mr. Wright. Make sure he's eating enough." Remus' eyes widened and he nodded. He turned and left to head to breakfast.

They had not seen Sebastian the entire weekend but Madame Pomfrey had—meaning that Sebastian may have come in to see the girl next to him. Remus moved a little quicker than normal in anticipation of seeing if Sebastian was at breakfast. When Remus bustled into the busy Great Hall his eyes roved over the Gryffindor students until he spotted his person of interest with the rest of Marauders. He calmed himself and tried to walk over, collected. He failed to slow his gait to a normal pace.

Sirius had an arm draped over Sebastian's shoulder. Sebastian looked tired and weary; his face was sullen and pale. James greeted Remus first.

"Oi, Moony! How are you doing, mate?" Remus nodded his greeting.

"I'm feeling just peachy." Remus smirked. Sirius looked up at Remus, his arm still on Sebastian's shoulder.

"You're just in time to find out why Sebastian was so cruel as to tell none of his dear roommates where he was for the entire weekend." Sirius gave a pointed look to Sebastian who was looking down at the table, cheeks a little red.

"Professor Dumbledore knew where I was, I didn't think I'd have to tell you." Sebastian shuffled off Sirius's arm and Sirius frowned. "Besides," Sebastian continued "I never ask you guys about your monthly sojourns in the night, so let's just drop it." Remus felt his heart drop at the comment as Sebastian cast an accusing glare at Sirius. Sirius and the others shared a guilty look. Sebastian sighed and stood up. "Look, I appreciate your concern. I just had a rough weekend of realizations but I should be more or less good now." He gave one more look at them before adding, "Besides, shouldn't you be more concerned about the exams today than where I've been sleeping on the weekends?"

As if Sebastian's words finally clicked in James', Sirius', and Peter's heads, they all nearly yelped before reaching into their bags to pull out their notes to do some last minute cramming. Sebastian gave them an amused look before he headed off back to the dorm. Remus continued sitting there, eating a piece of toast half-heartedly.

"Do you think he knows?" Remus asked quietly to his friends. The prospect of someone finding out about Remus' furry secret left him on edge. The boys looked up from their papers. James sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"If Sebastian knew, he'd either make a fuss about it or he already knows and he doesn't care enough to comment." James reasoned. Remus nodded and James continued. "If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say he just notices that we're gone or sleeping when you're supposed to be visiting your relatives." Remus nodded again but then thought back to the sleeping girl beside him. If Sebastian had visited her, he may have seen Remus, who was supposed to be visiting his sick relatives, not be sick himself. Remus spent the rest of the day uneasy but managed to focus on the rest of his mid-term exams.

He didn't get a chance to observe Sebastian until dinner. Sebastian was already there talking to Lily and going over their test answers. Remus was pulled into the conversation and seemed just as surprised as Lily with the depth of Sebastian's answers. Lily asked the lingering question in his mind.

"Sebastian…how do you know all this stuff? I knew you took great notes and you always seem to know the answer to questions when asked, but I thought you weren't getting a lot O's?" Sebastian flinched.

"Ouch, Lily, straight for the jugular." Lily blushed realizing how frank she had been when she asked. Sebastian laughed. "Let's just say I did a lot of studying this weekend." Lily's mouth made an 'O'.

"Is that why you looked so dreadful Sunday?" Lily asked. Sebastian gave a pained smile.

"More or less." He answered noncommittally. They were interrupted by a loud excited scream of a name.

"LILLLLLLLLLLLY" James exclaimed, almost bouncing jovially towards the table. Peter looked a worried mess next to him but Sirius looked calm and a little happy to see Sebastian. Sebastian gave a little chuckle at Lily whose eye twitched at James' exclamation.

"Potter," she greeted curtly. She stood up and gathered her books as James sat down. James' face fell. "I'll see you later, Sebastian, Remus." She nodded at them and they nodded back. She turned to glare at the rest of them. "Boys." She didn't wait for their acknowledgement but instead moved further down the table to where her other friends were. James turned a sharp eye to Hermione.

"You better watch it, new guy, or I might think you're trying to steal my future wife." James spoke a little more serious than joking and Sirius ruffled in her defense. Hermione cut off his budding remark.

"It'll be awfully hard to make her your wife when she dreads being in your company." Hermione gave James a pointed stare and James flushed in anger.

"She'll come around! We'll be good together—I know it!" He exclaimed. Hermione did in fact know it, but she had a feeling that he wasn't going to succeed without a little attitude adjustment.

"You've had six years to 'turn her around'. Apparently, your technique is lacking." James flushed even more and she felt the others tense around her. Figuring she was going too far, she brushed a hand through her short, boy hair—a move reminiscent of both James and Harry. "Look James, Lily is a nice girl, but I have absolutely no interest in her. We were just going over the test. Besides, Remus was here, too." James looked a little more mollified but slightly petulant.

"What do you mean you have no interest in her?! She's the best thing to ever grace the planet." Hermione rolled her eyes at his indecisive behavior.

"She's phenomenal—really. She just isn't my type." Hermione gave a rueful smile. Being a boy was awkward when you were secretly a girl.

"That's right! Everyone is approving of future Mrs. Potter so let's just get to eating!" Sirius interjected, trying to lighten the mood. The Marauders started piling food onto their plates and Hermione realized she had yet to touch any of hers. Nibbling delicately she noticed Remus and Sirius watching her.

"What?" Hermione mumbled self-conscious.

"You don't eat enough." They both exclaimed before looking at each other.

"What?" Hermione asked again, surprised. Sirius went first.

"I'm just saying you're too skinny. And since you looked bad this weekend, you should eat more to regain strength!" He added the last bit enthusiastically. Hermione looked at him doubtful. She had always known Sirius to be someone who wanted to be included in or starting the "fun". Seeing him here, so concerned and protective—almost motherly—was absolutely bizarre.

"I ran into Madame Pomfrey and she told me to make sure you ate properly." Remus remarked as Hermione flinched. Closing her eyes briefly she opened one after the other to see Mama-bear-Sirius staring at her.

"When did you see Madame Pomfrey?" He asked in a no-nonsense tone, reminiscent of Mrs. Weasley. She found it ironic that they clashed so much in her time. She felt a pang as she thought of home.

"Lily ran into me Sunday and pushed me to see her." Hermione noticed Remus pale and instantly knew the reason; she had forgotten that the full moon had even passed. "I just got some potions and a scolding and went on my way; I wasn't there long." She added. Remus looked a little more at ease but incredibly suspicious.

"Did you see anyone there?" Remus asked and the three other boys turned to him in surprise. Hermione also looked surprised.

"No…I was really only there briefly." Hermione continued in a questioning tone. Remus continued.

"You didn't see a girl in one of the beds?" Hermione's eyes widened and she fought to control the reaction. She thought Remus might have seen it and she felt immediately uncomfortable with the line of questions. The only other person there had been her—had he seen her in her as Hermione? She sought to end the conversation.

"No, I didn't see anyone there. Why do you ask—were you there?" Hermione answered irritated. Remus immediately started stuttering that he wasn't there and a brief, tense silence descended on them.

"So," Sirius interjected slowly. "Only a few more exams and it's time for Christmas! What are you doing for break, Sebastian?" Hermione turned towards Sirius and winced. Winter break—she had forgotten about her impending, depressing holiday over dinner.

"I'm staying here, I imagine." Sirius looked at her in shock.

"But we're all going home for break!" Sirius announced in horror. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"The entire dorm room to me—yippee!" She said unenthusiastically, toying with the food on her plate. Sirius continued to gape in horror. He looked at the other Marauders.

"But…but why aren't you going home?" Hermione flinched. She was sure if it wasn't for the potions and the fact she literally cried all weekend, she would be tearing up now.

"I don't have anywhere to go." Hermione couldn't stop the brief crack of her voice as she stared down at her plate. Hermione gave a cough to clear her throat before placing some tasteless chicken in her mouth. Everything tasted like ashes to her.

"You can come with Padfoot and me." James offered. Hermione looked up in surprise.

"I can't. It's fine." Hermione mumbled.

"Nonsense! I live with James but Remus and Peter are coming for Boxing Day and staying until we get back to Hogwarts. You can stay with us, no problem! Mummy P is the nicest woman ever and Charlus is very welcoming as well." Sirius explained enthusiastically. He stood up with purpose. "I'll go write them to tell them you're joining us right now!" Sirius went to turn away from the table when Hermione reached across and grabbed his shirt.

"Stop!" She exclaimed. Sirius looked at her confused. "I appreciate the offer but I do have some things I need to do over winter break. I need to talk to Professor Dumbledore first!" Sirius looked displeased but sat down slowly, allowing Hermione to stop reaching over and sit back in her own seat.

"Fine. I'll wait for your response but I'm telling Mummy P that we invited you anyway." Sirius pouted. Hermione nodded.

"That's fine." Hermione conceded. They finished dinner tersely before Hermione went off to find the Headmaster.

* * *

><p>"You are looking a little peaky, my dear." Albus Dumbledore said, peering over his glasses down at her.<p>

"I've had better days." Hermione grumbled. Albus smiled slightly.

"You do look better, though." He sounded sincere and Hermione believed him. She let out a sigh.

"I am resigned to my fate here." She paused and he looked like he wanted her to continue. "I can help out where I can but I don't know that much about the details of this time to be of absolute use." She knew she was fudging it but she didn't want to be a slave to his machinations. "Besides, you've already shown me plenty of theories that suspect I've already altered this present to be different from my future." Albus looked quite pleased with her announcement.

"Does that mean you will go by your real name now?" Albus inquired politely. Hermione looked at her hands—her male, masculine hands.

"When the NEWTS occur, they have a spell that signs the name of the person, regardless of pseudonyms and disguises—correct?" Albus nodded. "I will be graduating soon and I will have to be the real me when I take that test. Until then, I think Sebastian Wright is fine." Albus nodded again.

"I have been wondering, still, a little more about you and your future…or rather your old present." Albus inquired. Hermione paused but figured giving him some information now might benefit her plans for the winter.

"I will be born a few years from now in 1979 to a pair of Muggle Dentists." Albus looked surprised.

"I didn't realize you were Muggleborn." He commented. Hermione gave a polite smile.

"Makes it slightly easier to avoid my parents, now." She said optimistically. "Blood was still a hot topic then—or will be, rather. But for me it didn't matter and my friends didn't care. I did well in my classes at Hogwarts, regardless of growing up muggle. They called me the brightest wi—student of my age." Hermione coughed at nearly identifying her true gender.

"I was under the impression you were doing only slightly better than average in classes." Albus remarked. Hermione gave a pained smile.

"I never started seventh year until I arrived in this time, but I had learned all the spells prior." She looked at Dumbledore, amused. "The hardest has been sabotaging my potions to only get an Exceeds Expectations—I still couldn't let myself do any less." Dumbledore, in turn, also looked amused. "I'm taking the exams, seriously though. It…it seems looking into a future here is prudent." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily at the further confirmation.

"Excellent! If you need any assistance, I'll be pleased to assist you in adjusting here." Dumbledore offered. Hermione seized her chance.

"I actually do have some things I need…but I didn't exactly have my money on me when I left." She finished awkwardly. Dumbledore waved it off.

"Nonsense, you fell out of my painting, I feel rather responsible for you, my boy." Hermione smiled lightly.

"I'm planning to stay here over break…for obvious reasons…but James Potter invited me to his house for Christmas." She looked up at Dumbledore expectantly. "It might be nice to feel like I have friends here." Dumbledore nodded sympathetically.

"I can take you to Diagon Alley myself when the students are gone. I'm sure you could floo to Charlus's house for Christmas and stay as long as you like." Hermione noticed he used Charlus's name. Hermione had never heard much about Harry's grandparents but she knew they were dead by her time.

"I'd like to join the Order, too." Hermione said abruptly. Dumbledore turned to look at her appraisingly. He stroked his beard.

"I must say, I'm not exactly surprised to hear you know of the Order." Hermione shrugged. "But I don't think it will be wise for you to join while you are at school." It was Hermione's time to appraise Dumbledore. While it was Dumbledore's mistake to think that the six months would matter to her and be more important than using her information immediately, it would give her time to revisit priorities—including her still male body—and formulate a plan to present to the Order when she was inducted.

"Technically, I'm already a member, but I will compile my notes until I can take action this summer." Dumbledore nodded in agreement.

"Was there anything else you needed, my boy?" Hermione was beginning to feel tired but she was almost done.

"I was wondering if you could help me procure an apparition license—I'll change the name after I finish my NEWTS, but for now I think it could be prudent to have one." Dumbledore nodded.

"We will take care of it all Monday, then." Hermione nodded and finally was able to go back to the dorm and sleep. The boys said their hellos but she barely mumbled back before she was in bed, curtains shut.

Hermione did not go down to the train station to wave goodbye to the Marauders—she merely said goodbye to them in their room. Sirius looked nearly despondent until she mentioned that she would in fact see him for Christmas. Sirius perked up and headed out with the rest of them. Remus gave her one long look before glancing around the room and looking at her again. He mumbled a 'see you later' before closing the door. He hadn't brought up the hospital again but he seemed to be right back at his paranoid state. He at least called her by her "name", though.

That Monday, Dumbledore took her to Diagon Alley where she easily passed her apparition license. Unlike the NEWTS, the apparition license was bound only to performance and less to identity; it read Sebastian Wright. Dumbledore walked merrily with her as she noticed a few wizards stopping to gawk at the famous Headmaster. Eventually, Dumbledore gave her a considerable amount of money—which she gawked at—and told her to go off and buy whatever she needed. He told her that she dare not even attempt to return the money because he simply would not accept it. She stumbled off, amazed at his generosity, while he met with the many fans and politicians who were out shopping. They would meet in a few hours at an ice cream store.

She accomplished more than she thought she would while she was there. Her undetectable extension bag kept all her new possessions. Dumbledore had seemed impressed with her creation when she had chucked several books into it. Now alone, she had managed to procure presents for her friends. She got James and Sirius broom cleaning kits. She bought Remus a book on Defense Against Dark Arts and she had purchased a book for Peter on important plants to combat poisons; he seemed to be rather good at herbology, though he downplayed it greatly. She had also purchased candy for them previously at Hogsmeade—especially chocolate.

Once her presents were secured, she found herself looking at potions ingredients. She had some experiments she was planning on running because she still very much desired her real body. She had managed to secure a restricted reading pass from Dumbledore and had gone over the various potions that may have been altered to keep her in this weird state for so long. She had taken the weekend to check the Forbidden Forest for ingredients and now she was purchasing ingredients that she could not harvest. She hummed to herself as she read the labels and picked out what she needed. Realizing she still had an absurd amount of money, she began to pick out the very costly ingredients for Wolfsbane—though she had no idea how she would slip it to Remus. Still, she picked the ingredients out and paid for them.

Outside the store she came across a clothing store. Although she had gotten a nice uniform and cloak set before the year started, the clothes she had "found" in the Room of Requirements were awkward and ill fit. She entered the store and pulled out a few ensembles before half-heartedly trying on the guys clothes. She found a particularly garish and warm looking pair of socks that she purchased for the professor before she noticed a particularly lovely dress in the girls section. It looked much more modern than a lot of the robes in the store and had a flowing skirt connected to a slim bodice with sleeves. She looked at it and felt extremely disgruntled that she was male.

"Looking at that for your girlfriend?" Hermione jumped at turned around shocked. The sales lady was smiling pleasantly. Hermione forgot how strange it looked for a male to look at girls' clothing so reverently.

"Yes." She answered awkwardly. The sales woman launched into a spiel about the clothing changing to fit the size of the user and proceeded to tell her it was on sale. Somehow, Hermione had been convinced to purchase several reasonably priced articles of clothing that she would never be able to wear until she was a woman. Yet, purchasing them made her feel like one nonetheless.

She met with Dumbledore at an ice cream store and declared her shopping trip a success. She thanked Dumbledore again and he merely smiled gently back.

"I feel that soon I will ask of you far more than I should." His smile turned pained and Hermione looked down at her ice cream.

"I will help how I can" she vowed, thinking that it was a fairly relative statement. They took the floo back after ice cream and Hermione did not see him again until dinner.

Dinner consisted of few students and teachers seated at a circular table. The entire hall was fabulously decorated and Hermione instantly remembered the Yule ball. Nostalgia aside, she sat down at the table and greeted Slughorn, Minerva, and Dumbledore. She turned to look at the other students. There were a few Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws—all younger. She was the only Gryffindor and she paused in surprise when she saw the single Slytherin at the table. Severus Snape appeared to be at the table, staying for Christmas as well. He looked up at her with disdain but she was already plotting his assistance for the next week.

She didn't see or hear much from Snape or other Slytherins. The Marauders had relatively calmed down with their pranks and she assumed many of the Slytherins were preparing for their lord. She only shared potions with Severus but he sat in the front, far from where she was roped into sitting in the back with the Marauders. From the distance, she could still tell how amazing he was at potions. He would be incredibly useful in this task.

After dinner, Severus got up and left alone. Hermione stood up and followed him, walking out the Great Hall after him.

"Snape!" She called after him. His muscles tensed and he turned around quickly, brandishing his wand. "Woah!" Hermione called lifting her hand in defense. Her wand holster was hidden under her sleeve and she fought down the urge to brandish her own weapon.

"What do you want, _Wright_?" He ground out the name vehemently. Hermione was surprised.

"Didn't think you knew my name." She commented casually. He eyed her wary.

"What do you want?" He repeated still coiled and ready to strike.

"I need your help." She said honestly. Snape gave a sharp laugh.

"Help a Marauder? How stupi-"Snape began.

"I'm not a Marauder" Hermione argued.

"You sit with them enough." He countered. Hermione sighed.

"I need help with an experimental potion I'm working on." Snape's interest barely peaked. She carried on. "I want to be able to change someone's gender temporarily and I think your expertise would help out a lot. I'd try any version of the potion that I agree to and I won't force you to try any." He lowered his wand a little; it still pointed at her. "When it's finished it could be used on the Marauders." The wand no longer pointed at her but was still in his hand.

"Pray tell, why would a Gryffindor and a Slytherin work together?" he sneered.

"Look Snape, we're going to be the only ones here this winter and we are the only ones who are even remotely near the same age. You can go back to hating Gryffindor's and disdaining me and whatever farce you put up when all your buddies come back, but for now I have a project and I'd really appreciate your help." Snape still looked wary.

"It's not a farce." Hermione rolled her eyes at his rebuttal.

"I don't know what goes on down in the snakes' pit but it's not Hufflepuff hospitality. I'm sure deviation and differences from their status quo are hardly the embraced characteristics of Slytherin." Snape looked surprised at her comment. "I don't need anything from you Snape, but your subject-matter expertise."

"You _are_ awful at potions." Hermione scoffed at his barb.

"I've managed an EE _and _I've been sabotaging them on purpose." She had dropped her hands and moved closer. "Do you know how hard it is to get precisely that grade without making it worse?" Snape looked interested.

"Why have you been faking?" He asked suspicious but curious.

"I felt it necessary to be an ordinary, un-exemplary, student." She answered truthfully again.

"Why would it be necessary?" He demanded, impatiently. She marveled at how young this made him seem.

"The real question is why it is no longer necessary. That answer is that I can no longer get what I want and must adapt to the environment." He looked like he was going to ask her another question but she interrupted him. "In any case, I will be at the unused potions classroom level four the next few days after breakfast. You are welcome to come join me." She patted his shoulder as she walked by him, noticing him stiffen and feeling his glare as she left. He would come for the mystery, she knew; but he would stay for the potion.

* * *

><p>Hermione found it reassuring that she could predict this Severus Snape so well. While he had been an enigma in her time, in this time he was many of the same things-but much more seemingly normal. With the information Harry had supplied her, this Severus Snape made more sense; she almost felt guilty she had such insights. Then he would open his snarky little mouth and she would realize he was still an obnoxious prat.<p>

"Of course I've read _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_, if not for potions use what would you do—eat them?" Snape mocked in their classroom. They were figuring out how each compared intellectually and Snape was taking every opportunity to degrade her. "I admit," Snape sneered "I'm almost impressed you've read it—already breaking my expectations. Though surely, you've not read _Magical Drafts and Potions_." Hermione fumed.

"I have read it, thank you. _Most Potente Potions?_" Hermione asked, knowing that the copy of the book was still in the restricted section of the library. Snape raised an eyebrow in a questioning surprise but Hermione did not turn away.

"Slughorn allows his _best_ students access to the restricted section—especially for such potion-related studies." He looked at Hermione appraisingly. "How you managed to acquire a _restricted_ book with your mediocre skills is beyond me." There was a hidden accusation in the air. Hermione steeled her shoulders, indignant.

"There are other ways to access books with multiple copies." Hermione scoffed.

"_Magical Mediterranean Water Plants and Their Properties_." Snape continued. Hermione paused. Damn. That was Neville's book that had helped Harry with the Gillyweed. She hadn't managed to get a hand on the rare book before she forgot it amid the concerns of surviving. After the war, she hadn't thought to ask to borrow it. She narrowed her eyes at Snape.

"That's a rare book—how did you manage to read it?" Snape's face turned to an arrogant smirk at the words, seemingly able to understand that she, indeed, had not read it.

"I have a friend who had acquired it." His smirk grew. "I take it you have not read it, no surprise really, given your lack of resources." Hermione bristled. Snape really was still a big git.

"Yes, Snape, make fun of the orphan—good form," Hermione mocked back. Snape seemed to have the decency to feel guilty enough as the air around developed a stillness and staleness—the conversation if not more so. Snape spoke first.

"I actually still have it…if you'd like to read it." Hermione turned back in surprise from where she had pointedly looked away from him. He was looking down and nearly mumbling his words. He suddenly looked like a Severus Snape she did not know: kind, shy, and awkward. "I would like to keep all my limbs intact and your faulty potions knowledge is surely the biggest danger here." Hermione huffed but it turned into an exasperated smile.

"I'd love to read it, Snape." She said casually. He nodded at her primly, which she interpreted was from his embarrassment. She smirked as she looked down at her notes. They began talking more of ingredients, potions making, and the idea of the prank. She found it an interesting coincidence that he was just as much, if not more so, a know-it-all as she. She also found that insufferable was widely applicable around him. Yet his knowledge was impeccable and useful; his company was less foul in his youth, too.

When they finally left to go back to their rooms before dinner, Hermione was optimistic towards recreating and eventually curing her little problem. Still buzzing with the excitement of that prospect, she entered the Great Hall in a daze. She didn't realize she had sat down next to Snape until she felt his glare. Turning to look at him in surprise, he merely huffed before turning to look at his plate. His annoyance felt false, though, so she stayed where she sat.

She felt another pair of eyes on her and turned towards the source. Dumbledore seemed to be observing the entire table and his eyes glanced between Snape and her a few time. It felt like he was surprised and Hermione's mind cleared from the earlier daze; her seat position indicated that she was on good terms with Snape—meaning that she had deemed him a good enough person in her future. Knowing that Dumbledore was actually rather rude to Snape when he was a student, she was satisfied that Dumbledore was second guessing himself now. It must have taken Dumbledore years to find out how exceptionally loyal Snape could be.

With all of this in mind, it came as no surprise when Dumbledore spoke to her before she left for the Potters. She had already said goodbye to Snape, who had been incredibly prickly all week but still worked with her nonetheless. They had developed some sort of strange partnership filled with Snape constantly belittling her work and cutting her theories in half. It would have irritated her more if his logic wasn't so sound. He proved to be incredibly competent and they had progressed far into the theory in the week since they began. She felt guilty leaving him for the week to spend it with his mortal enemies but he had merely brushed it off. She knew it was a lie and that he was a tad upset but he looked in awe when she gave him his gift. It reminded her of the first time she gave a gift to Harry; they both were so amazed someone had thought of them and gave them something for nothing in return.

Snape had blushed a little as he snatched the gift out of her hand mumbling about pranks and busybodies. Hermione merely rolled her eyes. Snape was like a rescue dog—he constantly needed to be reminded she wasn't suddenly going to attack him. So when he opened the box to find a dictation recording quill and a handsome leather journal, he had paused disbelieving. Hermione actually felt a little guilty she hadn't given him something nicer when he looked at it so reverently.

"I don't recommend you dictate in the dorms, after all, anyone could hear you, but if you come up with any ideas here or for any future potion making—well, I know that sometimes a potioneer's hands are full. I'm sorry I'm leaving for the week, but we'll have another week before the students come back." Hermione spoke quickly before looking at him awkwardly. He was still looking at the set.

He did not look up but mumbled a very quiet and very sincere. "Thank you." Hermione smiled at him before heading to Dumbledore's office where she would floo to the Potter's. Sirius had sent her a letter explaining all the things they would do and Hermione had laughed at his childishness. She was arriving on the 23rd and leaving just past the New Year. She was still hesitant given the difficulties of her "condition" but she had agreed to go and she had been able to hide it for the past few months, anyway. She walked into the office and greeted Dumbledore.

"I see you've gone out of your way to befriend Mr. Snape," he commented nonchalantly, yet his eyes were appraising. Hermione set down her bag, wondering how long this conversation would take.

"There are some people here who were unexpectedly loyal to our cause." Hermione explained. "I'm making a mess of things but interrupting how things occurred—the reasons the individuals developed the loyalty to the cause. I'm hoping I am merely stream-lining the process before they have the chance to slip."

"Severus Snape dwells among questionable characters—you do not think him too far gone?" Dumbledore inquired and Hermione shrugged.

"I don't know. I'd like to try and keep him on our side early on—he was a war hero where I'm from. The circumstances made him a war hero, but I'm hoping that it'd be fine to just let him be content and in the background of the war." Hermione reasoned.

"Ah, the war gets much worse." Dumbledore noted. Hermione nodded.

"I know you know that. I still think you should let me start helping you now—before the disappearances and kidnapping and murders become more than whispers on dark streets and the reading between the lines of the _Daily Prophet_." Dumbledore looked grim.

"Perhaps, we should have a more in-depth talk when you return." Dumbledore conceded. Hermione nodded. "Though, I rather hope that you will enjoy this holiday first." He continued more merrily, standing and guiding her to the fireplace in his room. Hermione grabbed her bag and pulled out a box.

"I have just a little something for you, professor." Hermione said as she passed the box to him. Dumbledore looked surprised.

"Mr. Wright, how generous of you!" Hermione smiled.

"Technically, you gave me the money, so I doubt it was very generous at all." Hermione laughed as Dumbledore chuckled. He opened the box, marveling at the most hideous, garish, thick wool socks, Hermione had ever seen. She knew he loved them.

"Mr. Wright, I think you have just given me my new favorite pair of socks." Dumbledore looked blissful and Hermione couldn't help but laugh. Hermione made a move towards the fireplace again and grabbed a handful of floo powder. "Mr. Wright" Hermione looked up. Dumbledore gave her a small smile. "Happy Christmas." Hermione nodded.

"You, too, sir." Hermione tossed the powder down, calling her destination and disappeared into the flames.

* * *

><p>AN: Thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and follows! I have to admit—I was ridiculously happy every time a notification showed up. This chapter is more setup than anything else, but next chapter is Christmas at the Potters!


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